Communities must prepare for disasters

September 24, 2012

It's hard to believe fall already is here. There's a cool chill in the air and summer seems like a distant memory.

So, too, does the late-June derecho that devastated our area and caused wide-sweeping power outages in its wake.

However, now is the perfect time to remember this weather-related disaster. In fact, it should be foremost in our minds as September is National Preparedness Month.

Let's be honest: Many in the community - including government and other support agencies - were not well-prepared for the magnitude of storm that hit. Nor were they prepared for the extensive time it took to get power restored to the masses. As a result, many situations could and should have been handled differently, and dare we say better.

The seriousness of the situation and resulting fallout should have been an eye-opener for all concerned, but it's amazing how quickly one can forget what it feels like to be caught unprepared. That's why we would be remiss if we let this month pass without reminding everyone of the importance of having an emergency plan in place, supplies on hand and information at the ready should a disaster strike.

Like the derecho, emergencies usually occur with very little warning. They can sweep in and knock you down if you aren't careful. Don't get caught in the eye of the storm of crisis. The way to best prevent that is to prepare.